Second seed Andre Agassi has yet to drop a set at this year's Wimbledon tournament after he beat unseeded Nicolas Massu of Chile in straight sets to book his place in the fourth round. The American secured the opening set after a crucial break in the fourth game and although the former Wimbledon champion did suffer a few hairy moments on his serve, he took the set 6-3.
Agassi then broke Massu's serve in the opening game of the second set and even colliding with a ballgirl could not upset the American's rhythm as he went 3-0 up. Then Massu managed to win a game on his serve and was gifted a lifeline when he took Agassi to break point but he failed to take that opportunity and Agassi served out and then broke serve once again to take the second set 6-1.
With just over two hours on the clock, Agassi secured his fourth round spot when he easily overcame Massu 6-1 in the third set. The 1992 champion will meet either Nicolas Kiefer of Germany or Andrei Stoliarov of Russia in the next round.
However, Agassi is not getting over-confident just yet but is still hopeful that he can repeat his 1992 triumph this year. "Wimbledon is a different tournament in the second week. The grass is playing a lot differently and the level of competition is such that you know you're playing the best in the world for the biggest title in the world. There's a lot on the line but that's what you play for," he explained. "But I feel rather experienced and ready for this challenge. I think in 92 it was probably a lot more against the odds. That said, it would be an incredible accomplishment for me," he added.
Meanwhile, Australians Lleyton Hewitt and Pat Rafter both progressed today but Rafter enjoyed a much easier victory than his younger compatriot to book his place in the last 16. Rafter, last year's beaten finalist, secured a straight sets victory over the Moroccan Hicham Arazi 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 7-5. Rafter will now take on Russian teenager Mikhail Youzhny in the next round. Youzhny progressed after his opponent Fabrice Santoro retired injured in the third set of their tie. Youzhny was leading 7-5 6-0 2-0 when the match ended prematurely.
Hewitt was required to work much harder for his win, also against a Moroccan opponent, Younes El Aynaoui. The Australian took more than three hours to defeat El Aynaoui 7-5 5-7 6-4 7-6 in four tight sets but is confident the experience will stand to him.
"I'm being myself out there and getting more and more comfortable on grass. But I've still got errors to work on and I need more of an all court game. If I can get that I should have a good shot at this tournament but I know I've got to improve a lot to get to the semi-finals," he said. Hewitt will now take on Frenchman Nicolas Escude in the next round after he overcame fellow Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean in four sets 5-7 6-4 6-3 6-4.
Filed by Amanda Fennelly
